The Beast Within
by wolfofsheep
Summary: Wanda's been improving her abilities as she gets accustomed to her new life in Wakanda. Scarlet/Vision


**A/N**

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 _Okie Dokie, I have GOT to get this story outta my head, so... Here it is._

 _This is set after CW, and almost a litle AU. The summoning thing, I just came up with, but I think it could be a plausible thing for her to do. So, don't get your panties in a wad about it, k?_

 _I do not own Marvel or their characters_

 _Annnndddd... I did this story on my iPod, so if you see a_ _n error, flip it off and keep reading. :)_

 _Hope you enjoy!_

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Can you remember the last time you stopped and smiled at the majestic simplicity of the world around you? A time where you took in a deep breath, closed your eyes, and just exhaled a happy sigh? Where you admired how blue the sky was, how smooth the wind flowed around you, or how gentle the water cascaded against your fingers? For Wanda Maximoff, it had been three years since she even got to walk outside a building without fearing the worst, but here she was, standing on the banks of a small river right outside a cave that was in the shadow of a panther-shaped rock.

The calls of primates, insects, and birds filled the surrounding jungle that was accompanied by the crashing of the waterfall before her. Wanda knelt down towards the water and let the cool, unwavering water of the river push against her hand as the soothing energy of the current caressed against her crimson aura. Her hair was braided loosely and stray hairs tickled her neck and cheek as a small breeze blew against her form. She wore a black corset tank-top, with red laces strummed down her back that had a realistic pair of red lips biting the bottom lip in a dripping down like paint design, meshed well with her red plaid punk pants with black patches on the knees and black and red straps hung on her side as she continued to kneel beside the moving water. Everything about Wakanda just agreed with her. The peacefulness, the freedom, and the solidarity of it just seemed to enhance her connections to her powers. Not to mention the fashion and the view from her room.

She plopped down on the rocky bank with her motorcycle boots crossed underneath her legs and she straightened her back in a meditative pose. She lifted her hands, palms facing upward, and extended her arms out then allowed the crimson energy to slither around her extremities and stream around her fingers. She beckoned the red mist to pool within her irises before closing them shut and commanding the energy to root from her body and seep into the earth. Like a bugle call, it silently sang out to the creatures around her as she levitated above the bank. She had been practicing this new ability for months and the result was always positive; birds, primates, snakes, lizards, crocodiles, elephants, canine and feline predators, insects, and other large mammals were easy. She twitched her fingers in an incantation that sent her red magic in pulses. She opened her eyes and they were luminescent until they shifted to a primal shape. They went completely golden in color with large, round pupils that swiftly constricted to a slit where then her eyes burned red and she shut them again.

She slowly fell back to the rocks as her feet met the ground. With her eyes closed, still, she took in a deep breath and the red bolts swarmed around her then dissipated. She opened her eyes, still glowing crimson, to the brush on the other side of the river and saw a single pair of golden eyes staring back at her. A black panther, raised its head, stood tall, and twitched its tail as if waiting for a command. Wanda smiled as the magic coursed through her eyes and was about to give the panther a small task, but a distant sound broke her concentration. She snapped her head towards the sound right behind her, towards the facility, causing her magic to break. By the time she looked back over the bank, the panther was gone. She sighed. Her powers were getting stronger, but she felt as if she were getting weaker. Little distractions still seemed to get in her way of fully controlling the wildness that flowed within her.

Over the music of the jungle, she heard slight grunts and high pitched yells. Those were the noises that distracted her before. It must be the Dora Milaje training. From what she could tell, the women fighters who protected King T'Challa were some of the most dangerous people she'd ever met. They not only trained their bodies, but their minds were as sharp as their spears and bullets. They were not monsters like most of the tribes around Africa believed, they were but women who only wanted what was right for their tribe and their king. However, if someone were to attack any one of them OR their king, then those 'just women' would become the fiery demons from Hell.

Wanda heard stories from King T'Challa about how only three of their Dora Milaje ripped through 75, heavily armed and highly trained mercenaries with nothing but spears and speed. Those stories would make any woman proud to hear. She loved any of the stories that the King bestowed upon the newly freed group from Raft, but as the manhunt for Inhumans and Powered-folks went into a maelstrom of fear and hate, she noticed everyone getting more tense and less "family" oriented. The Dora Milaje were formidable warriors and monstrous killers, but they still made sure to steer clear of the "Blood Witch". The feeling of animosity burned the back of her throat as she sighed angrily and dropped her head.

Wanda was avoided like a sickened cat by anyone other than her team. They grabbed their trinkets and mumbled blessings every time she walked by them. Some grabbed for their weapons as if anticipating an attack and that was the last thing Wanda wanted. She learned from their hectic minds that they were dealing with ONE witch, already. The "Weather Witch", who was anything but a spell-caster, had 'ensnared' the King with her meteorological magic. Some admired this woman, whose hair was as white as the clouds above, but others didn't trust her; much like they didn't trust Wanda. King T'Challa must not have trusted Wanda, either, since none of the Anti-Accord Avengers were allowed to approach him in the sanctuary. Only HE could approach them. No one got to meet the 'Weather Witch' since she seemed to only stay in the throne room. Out of respect for the King's hospitality, no one questioned or pushed about meeting her. Though, the King did allow them to roam the facility and go outside, it seemed that the he didn't wish to stress out his Queen OR his guests. So, despite Wanda's curiosity to meet the Weather Witch, she just respected the King's wishes and avoided the throne room, completely. In fact, she avoided everyone all together, thus her excluded visit to the riverbank. It was where she felt… happy.

Learning to summon the wildlife was a perk of her solidarity, but at the same time, left her hollow and unbearably lonely. Her teammates were accepted easily, what with Sam and Steve being handsome and Clint and Scott being great with the children (and neither of them having chaotic magic), it made them all approachable by every member of the tribe. The boys DID try to include her, but the sense of fear and reluctance began to be too much for her, so she feigned illness or pretended she was busy just to avoid any awkwardness. She declined so many times that, eventually, they stopped asking, all together.

Wanda looked back across the river once more before fluttering her eyes and down-casting them with a sigh before turning and heading back towards the compound. She only took a few steps before an intruding pulse within her mind froze her in place. She twitched her fingers and engulfed a few long, sharpened leaves with her magic the launched them like bullets behind her as she dove into the jungle's brush.

Wanda wasn't as skilled as the men who could outrun cars, but training in a jungle can make someone pretty agile. Her leaps over uneven, root-filled terrain and quick, sharpened dashes towards another direction could make the Scarlet Witch seem like a super soldier. She controlled her breathing while still extending her sensory skill to its maximum distance. She could still feel the pulse of energy but it was hard to pinpoint its exact location due to the fluctuating movements that crackled like static in her mind. It peaked her curiosity but she needed to keep herself off the radar since she WAS an escaped convict.

She could see the small, oval clearing that brought attention to a part of a very normal looking stone wall. With a handprint and an eye scan, it would open a tubular entrance to the compound. She stopped about 80 yards from the clearing then jetted herself up along the long trunk of a kapok tree leaving a blurry, red mist in her wake. The ascent was fast and deliberate as she kicked her knees up as she cleared the 200 feet of the trunk and landed on the lowest branch with grace. Her vigorous training of this very move had proven to be flawless as her approach did not disturb a single leaf from the extended branch. Wanda smiled then readied herself as she kept low and looked around at the jungle's spotty canopy as if she were a jungle cat. If anything moved within the terrain, she'd see the shadows or glimpse the intruder if her powers didn't sense them first.

The entity she sensed had gone silent. Wanda's eyes focused on finding any movement. The slow breeze rustled the tops of the trees and made her bangs dance against her forehead. She was concentrating so hard, she could hear her heartbeat thrumming inside her head. After a few tense minutes, she relaxed her posture and straightened up on top of the branch. It truly was very beautiful here. She closed her eyes as the warm gust collided with her hair and rushed over her face. The static energy returned and her eyes shot opened in panic for it was resonating right above her. Before she could act, a soft voice sang to her from above, "Good evening, Miss Maximoff."

Her heart thrummed heavily in her ears and against her chest as she watched the magenta android descend, slowly. When he landed on the branch beside her, Wanda realized that she had been holding her breath and she gasped to catch it. Her mind, that was a moment ago in full strategic mode, was now stumbling through memories and emotions causing her to fall back into the unsure Avenger, "Vi… Vision? Wh-what are you doing here?" She looked around, like a nervous chicken, for any sign of an ambush. A blast of her chaotic magic extended miles from the exact spot she stood and revealed nothing suspicious.

Vision's voice was patient as it drifted between them, "I assure you that I am alone."

Wanda's wandering eyes snapped back to his, "You didn't answer my question. What are you doing here?" She could feel the yanking of guilt within her chest at the oddly hurt look on the synthetic droid's face. The happiness of seeing him wasn't stronger than the fear of having to battle her way to freedom. She kept her stare firm as his mechanically human eyes darted from her eyes, lips, and down to his feet. She gave another look around from the height advantage from the tree before groaning at his silence then diving off the tree branch head first. She smiled at his loud gasp as she turned her focus on flipping her and pointing her feet down. The leaves from the shorter trees licked at her boots as she seeped within them until she extended her arms and surrounded the space around her with her red miasma. She slowed down and gracefully landed with a happy little skip before marching towards the clearing.

Vision's voice was uncharacteristically shaky, "Wanda... Wanda, please. I came alone and told no one of my travels here. My visit is strictly and profanely idiosyncratic." She hopped up and down on the rooted terrain, trying her best to ignore him as he glided in midair only inches off the ground. She huffed angrily as he continued to speak, "I... I came here because..." She paused at his stammering and turned around to see that he had stopped following her. A large gap had built between them as a draft from the trees twitched her bangs. Her chest tightened girlishly at how he looked almost flushed before the synthetic droid let out an exasperated sigh and gently finished, "... I came here... just for my selfishness. I came to see you. Only you."

Wanda's eyes widened and her face exploded with uncontrollable heat. She fought with multiple thoughts laced with multiple emotions. So many scenarios stacked inside of her in a tornado of turmoil. She took an impromptu step backwards and her boots slicked off a moistened root that sent her plummeting backwards down a hill leading to the clearing. She couldn't summon her magic fast enough so her eyelids clasped tightly shut and awaited the welcoming pain. Arms warm, strong, and anxious grabbed her from the heavens and pulled her back into the reality that was Vision's chest. It had been forever since she touched or been touched by anyone. Pietro knew that it was physical contact that calmed the demons rushing in her veins. It was the comforting and supportive touches that got her through the nightmares that haunted her even during the waking hours. Oh, how she missed her brother but she missed being touched, lovingly. Her eyes opened and were magnetized to his gaze as they floated down, softly, to the clearing. The pounding against her chest reverberated to her throat and she found herself panting. The shocked look on Vision's face equaled to the concern in his voice, "If I would have known that my words would cause you such distress, I would not have said them." His right hand rested on the small of her back firmly pressing her against him as his left gripped around her wrist, safely. It took the both of them a half of a heartbeat to realize their proximity before he anxiously released her to give her a considerable amount of space as he went back to his flustered state, "I- I am sorry."

The moment was broken as Wanda dropped her gaze to her feet. She took a moment to sternly rebuke her childish yearnings before addressing the android, "There's no need to apologize for everything you do. We're friends, yes, so I know you were worried about me, but this unannounced visit was not very smart. What if you were tracked? The government would have mounted an attack and tried to arrest us. All of us." She used the word 'tried' as the King, Weather Witch, and the Dora Milaje ran across her mind. The government wouldn't have stood a chance.

Vision took a large step forward, catching her eye, "Then, at least, this time, I would have had an opportunity to actually protect you. I... I was unsuccessful in my last endeavor." He had a peculiar look on his face. Wanda believed it was regret and anger fighting for dominance. Her heart started to hum and went to full bongo mode as he took another smaller step forward as his mellow accent mimicked a child's innocence, "We are still friends?"

Wanda furrowed her brow, "Of course we are, you toaster." She couldn't stop the laugh that she hid behind her hand. She looked up at him and her eyes were drawn to his lips. His smile. She didn't realize how much she missed seeing someone smiling. Someone smiling at her. A jolt struck her like a familiar push and before she knew what she was doing, her arms wedged underneath Vision's arms and around his torso as her head rested on his chest. She heard the electronic rhythm of his synthetic heart rise. She felt like a fool. An overreacting child who needed someone to pay attention to her. She shouldn't have put Vision into this position. She chastised herself and was about to pull away until those warm, strong, and anxious arms were around her, once more. One hand petted against her braided hair while the other affectionately rubbed her back. It made her hug go tighter as tears formed and cascaded from her cheek.

"I am glad we are still acquaintances. I was worried that you would have wished my presence banished, infinitively." He softly spoke between the two of them. Wanda raised her head and looked up at the pure soul before her. Vision was shocked to see the tears and his hand quickly left her hair to cup her cheek and wiped away the moisture from under her eye with a soft swipe of his velvety thumb. Both were awestruck by his actions and Wanda smiled. "Vizh, I can't stay mad at you. You're my best friend. You always pick me up when I am at my lowest. You're... You're all I have." Another jolt and shove hit her as she looked up to see his warm smile. The jolt turned into an unbridled warmth of affection and a tinge of sadness. The emotional heat was horrifyingly deep, but she plunged in head first before the fear could settle in.

Her arms snaked around the tall droid's neck to pull his head down as she pulled herself up to kiss his soft smile. His hand that rested on her cheek went stiff as she felt his whole body follow suit. She could feel him trying to control his density from the overall shock. As she opened her mouth slightly to deepen the kiss, her magic began to resonate a wavering melody of crimson sparks that lashed out like an angry cat's tail. She could hear her primal growl rumbling in her ears, but was instantly tamed by timid fingers sliding against her cheeks and settling on either side of her face and leveraging the kiss even deeper. It warranted a low moan from her and synced her magic's harmony as it raced in all directions.

Wanda broke the kiss for only a moment to catch her breath and reorganized the blissful connection. Vision's hands were still cupping the back and side of her head as she gripped the collarbone plates that held his golden cape to his shoulders. The fluttering of wings, the crunching of bark, and the rumbling of earth caught her attention and she slipped her lips from his but only tilted her head up to see the canopies covered with chattering birds and primates all around them. She noticed Vision's gaze was bewildered and focused over her shoulder and she turned to see various hoofed mammals, predators, and rodents all surrounding them with the two right in the middle.

Wanda cleared her throat, and with a smile, pushed herself off the confused android and laughed behind her hand. She closed her eyes, controlled her breathing, and buzzed her energy into a projected shield then manipulated it to rush in all directions. It disengaged her accidental summoning song she must've been singing with her powers. She cut her eyes to Vision, who was staring in child-like wonder at all the gathering of animals, and shook her head with a smile. All the animals dispersed in their own way and Wanda pressed her lips together tightly, mostly in embarrassment, before turning to look at Vision, fully. The huge grin did not fade as his eyes met hers before inquisitively asking, "When did you learn to do that?"

Wanda smiled sadly. She couldn't tell him that she learned to summon animals so she wouldn't be lonely. She really didn't like to be pitied. When she looked up to see a pitiful frown on his face, she groaned, licked her lips, and decided to change the subject with a growing smile, "Where did you learn to kiss?"

His synthetic, deep red skin, almost illuminated in embarrassment. Like a shy teenager, his eyes rolled down to stare at his feet and the angelic android answered in a nervous tone, "I have been assisting Lieutenant Colonel Rhodes with his rehab and during his rest-phase he has been watching a plethora of shows based on a melodramatic way of story telling he calls 'soap operas'. They are quite the study material for human behavior. Although... I don't believe I was supposed to tell you that."

Wanda laughed and nodded, "Don't worry. His secret is safe with me."

Vision smiled and nodded towards her, "At least it is safe with someone."

His attempt to make a joke warmed her cheeks, again, but before she could act on it, his face went serious and she could see his eyes rotate in golden spears. Her stomach turned, painfully. She knew he had to go. Her body moved on its own and she took his hand and twisted beneath it to wrap his arm around her as she rested her back against his body. She couldn't look at him, "You make sure you visit me when you can, alright? And please... Please stay safe."

Vision's hand in hers gave a gentle squeeze before his other arm crossed over her. He put his lips to her temple and gave a small kiss as her hugged her. He hugged her for a moment before the bass in his voice caressed her eardrums, "I shall. And you, Miss Max- Wanda, please do not stay alone. Captain Rogers is very worried about you. He does not like the thought of you alienating yourself. He wishes for you to come to him if you are feeling isolated or discriminated."

She turned in his hug as a tinge of anger hit her, "You came here because Steve contacted you?"

Vision looked shocked as the red hot pain in her chest matched the glow in her eyes. Why was this hurting her so much? He came here out of concern, yes, but the fact that he only came because her Captain asked him to was burning her insides. He didn't come to find her after she was imprisoned. He didn't visit her when she finally settled here. He didn't care until someone else did. The anger was at its peak when Vision gasped and pulled her attention back to reality. His eyes were downcast from her but at were drawn to her side as his mind stone pulsed, ready for attack. She turned her head to see a black panther stalking forward, to her side. It chuffed and readied to pounce at the synthetic droid.

His concern was minimal, but his eyes drifted to hers and he looked saddened, "I could not search for you. I could not go to you. I could not jeopardize you or the other's lives. If I would have, the government would have locked me up and disassembled me then seized all of Mr. Stark's assets. Not to mention the torture that you would have endured in the Raft. I wanted, more than anything, to be by your side... to be a whole team, again, but this is the reality of it all." She felt the burning dissipate and the panther on her side slump to the ground. She had forgotten just how easily he could slip into her mind. Why did she forget that? His movement caught her eye as he continued, "Miss Maximoff, I am just a machine, but... I have feelings for you. You are never far from my mind. If you have had any doubt about me then I am very sorry. When Captain Rogers contacted me, I slipped into the Earth's core to avoid being tracked just to find you. I.. I am in love with you, which is so illogical. I am not even a rea..."

The panther's roar cut him off any further. It was back up, by her side, before Wanda moved and pounced into him with a very aggressive kiss. When she pulled away, the panther was gone and the android was stunned, "Vizh... If you weren't a real anything, you wouldn't have felt that." She smiled up at his yearning face and she watched his eyes go golden again and she stepped away, "You have to go. We'll visit this discussion, again, but, next time, in my room." The realization took a while to reach his facial expression, but when it did, she winked and chuckled as he seeped into the ground, flabbergasted. She smile slowly faded as she turned towards the wall and let the white brick scan her hand and eyes. She smiled, again, as the sound of the panther's roar filled the jungle before entering into the compound.


End file.
